The sky in your computer

Programs for Linux (or UNIX)

The best sources of intelligence on programs of Astronomy for Linux we also found in Scientific Applications on Linux and its section of Physics and Astronomy and in LinuxAstro Software. If it wants to obtain a compilation in CD-ROM of the best software of Astronomy and not to have to worry to unload it of Internet, the best option is the for Linux Astronomy CD-ROM.But, due to the dynamism of this operating system, daily hundreds of programs are developed, into which one can inquire in the pages of Freshmeat. Finally, to indicate that some programs (as it is the case of XEphem, for example) usually come including in the CD-ROM of the different Linux distributions.

Computational astrophysics

Aarseth's N-body software: Algorithms of experiments on gravity (they open source, multiplatform).

Barnes & Hut Treecode Algorithm: A guide about the algorithms used in the astronomical simulations on the gravity (they open source, multiplatform).

N-Body/Particle Simulation Methods: Ample tutorial with examples and code (online).

NEMO: A series of tools on stellar dynamics; it has several programs to create, to integrate, to analyze and to visualize stellar systems. There are other utilities to apply to images, tables and orbits, including archives in format FITS to exportar/importar de/a other packages of reduction of astronomical data. The page is in addition a source of intelligence on other places that treat on particle simulations (they open source, Unix/Linux).

TIPSY: Package of visualization of data designed to quickly show and to analyze the results of simulations (they open source, Unix/Linux).

Planetariums, celestial charts and ephemeris

AstroWidget: Package of diverse useful programs to make astronomical observations. It calculates positions of celestial objects and times of events. So that he is portable to different operating systems completely is written in Tcl/Tk. AstroWidget is covered by license GPL and therefore its use is gratuitous and frees. In Castilian. Requirements: Tcl/TK equal or superior to 8.0. 90 Kb (source, Linux, HPUX, Solaris, OSF3, Windows, Mac… and any operating system open where Tcl/Tk works).

Hitchhiker: Digital planetarium, is in addition a program to simulation and astronomical visualization (they open source, Unix/Linux).

SKYMAP: Program of representation of the sky written in Fortran and C for workstations (they open source, Unix/Linux).

StarCat: A tool of stellar catalogue visualization designed to be used with catalogues Bright Star, Hipparcos and Tycho. It provides access to the complete data of any single star with selecting and doing click (freeware, Win9X/NT/Linux).

Nightfall Eclipsing Binary Stars: Scientific application and educative, produces animated eclipsantes binary star views, calculates curves and light and radial velocity curves and can determine the model in that better it fits a eclipsantes binary star system according to a observacionales data set (they open source, Unix/Linux).

XEphem: Interactive program for UNIX systems with X Windows and Motif. Very many possibilities and including in almost all the distributions (they open source, Unix/Linux).

Xplns: Windows reproduces the sky in a window within system X. It calculates the position of many celestial objects (stars, galaxies, nebulas, planets, I commit…) with much precision. It is possible to be observed the movement of the objects of the Solar System, as well as the movement of stars. The information function allows to know the exit, putting or transit of solar objects. There are six possible visualizations: "Way horizon", "equatorial Way", "ecliptic Way", "Way galaxy", "Way planisphere" and "Way Solar System" (they open source, Unix/Linux).

Analysis and image processing of data

AIPS (Astronomical Image Processing System): Software package for the calibration and interactive edition of interferometric data of radio and for the calibration, construction, exhibition and analysis of astronomical images made from these data using the methods of synthesis of Fourier (source, Unix/Linux, VMS open).

AIPS++: Program for the reduction of astronomical data in parallel systems. It provides the capacity to calibrate, to publish, to form and to improve images and analysis of the same ones. In CD-ROM, without cost (they open source, Unix/Linux).

That-Measure (European Southern Observatory Munich Image Data Analysis System): General tools for image processing and reduction of data with the emphasis put in the astronomical applications, including stellar photometry and of surface, refining of images and decomposition, as well as special packages of images and reduction for the instruments of the European Southern Observatory (THAT) (they open source, Unix/Linux, the VAX/VMS/OpenVMS).

GIPSY (Groningen Image Processing System): Very interactive program for the reduction and presentation of astronomical data (they open source, Unix/Linux).

IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility): A system of programs of reduction and analysis of astronomical data. IRAF is written by the group of programmers of National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) in Tucson, Arizona (source, Unix/Linux, OpenVMS open).

MIRIAD (Multichannel Image Reconstruction, Image Analysis and Display): Tools in form of surroundings with an ample set of programs of moderate size that they make individual tasks that include calibration, mapping, deconvolución and analysis of images coming from data of an interferometer (source, Unix/Linux, VMS open).

MIIPS (Multipurpose Interactive Image Processing System): It makes analysis of astronomical images. The main package only works in OpenVMS, but many of their components can be executed in Unix/Linux (they open source, OpenVMS/Unix/Linux).

Space simulation

OpenUniver: Fast exhibition of the last data of the NASA that shows our Solar System, 25,000 stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids and even a controlable spaceship. Great requirements in the graphical section of the equipment (source, Win9X/NT/2000 or Unix/Linux and OpenGL open).

Ssystem: Ssystem is a simulator of the Solar System that uses OpenGL. It allows to visit the Sun, nine planets and some satellites (also stars of bottom are included based on a catalogue) with four different ways of vision. Although it is not completely precise, the positions of planets in a given date are within a rank with respect to the real positions (they open source, Unix/Linux).

Hitchhiker:Digital planetarium, is in addition a program to simulation and astronomical visualization (they open source, Unix/Linux).

Tools and utilities for the observation

AstroPy: Development and numerical integration of tools and algorithms in the Python language (they open source, multiplatform).

PyEphem: Module to make astronomical calculations using the Pyton language (they open source, multiplatform).

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  Copyright © 2003 Javier Sánchez Quirós